No, Calvin!!!


I have been reading a devotional based on the biblical commentaries of John Calvin. Do you know that he wrote a Commentary on every book of the Bible but Revelation? He isn't the only one befuddled by the book. Almost 2,000 years later (after the Apostle John wrote it) we are still screwing it up so maybe his silence was wise.  

Calvin was not only a first-rate thinker, he was also quite tender and pastoral as a rule. His writings clearly extol the grace of God above all else. In that light, Calvin is among the most Christian of all historical figures. He makes Universalists looks graceless by comparison. For Calvin affirms in all of his work and preaching the reality that there is nothing humanity can do to curry God's favor but to depend on Christ. That is it. 

I have been particularly impressed by Calvin's pure dependence on Scripture for his theological presuppositions. He truly was one that generally relied on the Bible to create his worldview. Yet, I read something yesterday in his thoughts on Psalm 119:115 that was dead wrong despite his good intentions. 

The verse is:

"Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God."

What is most off is Calvin's reflection on this verse:

"To follow the way of the Lord without stumbling, we must endeavor to keep the greatest possible distance from worldy and wicked people, not in terms of physical separation but in terms of interacting and conversing with them."

Hmmm....is Calvin advocating mannequin evangelism? Say nothing, do nothing? How contrary is this from Christ who not only conversed with sinners, ate with sinners, loved sinners, BUT DIED FOR SINNERS? Christ did not keep His distance from us and we should all be thankful that He did not. 

Calvin's wrong. That is hard for me to write as a Reformed Christian (i.e. Biblical thinker) to write. But, the Truth must be told. I say it again, Calvin's wrong...we are to be like Christ.     

Comments

VanTil said…
1. I think Calvin failed to write a commentary on Revelation because he died before he could do so.
2. Calvin was wrong about lots of stuff, just like the rest of us dumb sinners.
3. Calvin was wrong about fewer things than the rest of us dumb sinners - hence his justifiable fame.
March 29, 2012 at 6:09 AM
Eric Bierker said…
I think Calvin would be the first one to admit he got this one wrong. It is just so interesting that a man with such insight would miss how Christ came and ministered and how that could be nothing less than a call for His people to do the same. This non-engagement has had some serious complications. Calvin, as a rule, speaks so clearly, I just was astounded that he overlooked the most simple reading of the Gospels. According to some research I did, and I quote, "Calvin said that he did not write on Revelation because he did not understand it. He did not say nobody could understand it, but he did say he could not understand it. So he did not write on it."
March 29, 2012 at 6:15 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Shake the Dust: Anis Mojgani

Pslam 90:2 "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God." I am not real certain where Anis Mojgani comes from belief-wise. Cats like him tend to be synchrestic spiritually rather than Christ-centered. Yet, this poem captures the spirit of Jesus. What this poem also needs is grace....we shake off sin and mortality and take on Christ and immortality. This is for the fat girls This is for the little brothers For the former prom queen And for the milk crate ball players This is for the school yard wimps And the childhood bullies that tormented them Shake the dust. This is for the benches and the people sitting upon them. This is for the bus drivers driving a million broken hymns And for the men who have to hold down 3 jobs, Simply to hold up their children. For the nighttime schoolers And for the midnight bike riders trying to fly Shake the dust. For the two year olds who cann
Read more

White Shoes, White Stones

Rev 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh, to him will I give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written, which no one knoweth but he that receiveth it. (ASV) With the white stone mentioned above in the Scripture verse, "And will give him a white stone" it is "Supposed that by the white stone is meant pardon or acquittance, and the evidence of it; and that there is an allusion here to the custom observed by judges in ancient times, who were accustomed to give their suffrages by white and black pebbles; those who gave the former were for absolving the culprit, those who gave the latter were for his condemnation." (Clarke) What has brought about this essay was my purchasing the other day of some very white and new Nike jogging shoes. My old pair of Nike's have been worn down. I was developing serious pain in my feet which is a solid sign that it is t
Read more

Going Rogue: Dare, Risk, Dream

Image
I picked up a bumper sticker at a Pub recently from the Rogue Brewery . On it there are the words: DARE, RISK, DREAM. Typically, the word Rogue is a negative term. I will let you decide if Sarah Palin and her book has made the word less or more so. Initially, I taped the bumper sticker to my computer lap top with the backing still on it in case I wanted to remove it. Just a second ago, I committed fully, and pulled the backing off and affixed it to my Dell. No turning back. Is that not an illustration of how to accomplish great things? We have to stick and commit. If we go taping ourselves to the backs of things, it leads to easier removal but also to tepid efforts. Now, if I take this bumper sticker off the back of my lap top it is going to be a mess...I am all in. Consequences be damned. My summer vacation officially began today at noon (why else would I be blogging at 3:26 am?) and my creed for the summer is DARE, RISK, DREAM. A Kerouac quote to light the fireworks... "Great th
Read more